Kyrgyzstan - Central Asia - page 282

is generally to visit CBT, which numbers
each guesthouse and displays basic descrip-
tions and photos on the wall. They'll find
out which places have space and call some-
one to show you the way. Our favourites are
Bunyad Mirzamaksudov's for the fabulous
views, and Zinaida for its quiet central loca-
tion and flower-filled courtyard garden.
Zinaida¨Homestay¨ HOMESTAY $
(B&B No 11; % 070-966 7080, 077-329 2434; Aral 11;
dm 350som) Quiet, central and blessed with a
gorgeous flower-filled garden. Fatima speaks
English. From the main square walk west,
take the first turn left (south) opposite Tor-
govaya Tochka shop, then make an S-shaped
route for 150m or so to find the pale blue
gates above which is a window displaying a
red triangular Kyrgyzstan Hospitality logo.
Bunyad¨Mirzamaksudaov¨ HOMESTAY $
(B&B No 12; % 077-341 5068; A Bazarov 34; dm
400som) Relatively new house with super
valley views from the topchan (dining pavil-
ion). It's down a small dead-end lane to the
right of the road leading from the bazaar to-
wards the Twin Waterfall. The turn is about
150m after that road swings north.
5 ¨Eating
There are six simple cafe-chaikhanas (meals
80som) in the main square/bazaar area,
of which three are perched over the river
(none with great views) and one attractively
shaded beneath an ancient Chinor (plane)
tree. There are even less sophisticated drink-
stands and shashlyk burners at the Twin
Waterfall and beside the turbaza . By ar-
rangement any homestay offers a choice of
dinner (180som) but all guests should agree
to take the same option.
Chaikhana¨Chinor¨ CHAIKHANA
(meals 80som; h 8am-7.30pm) Specialises in
samsa and fresh bread (baked til 7pm), but
also serves plov and manti beneath a majes-
tic ancient plane tree.

8 Getting¨There¨&¨Away
Arslanbob is 3½ hours' drive from Osh. By
marshrutka you'll need to change in both
Jalal-Abad and Bazar Kurgan. Although the
latter is 3km west of the Osh-Bishkek highway,
Jalal-Abad-Masy and Jalal-Abad-Kockor Ata
minibuses divert here (30som, 40 minutes
from Jalal-Abad). Bazar-Kurgan-Arslanbob
marshrutkas marked Arstanbap run roughly
twice an hour til 6pm or later (50som, one hour).
If arriving from the north, jump of at Sovetskoye
(Km543/121) where there's a well-signed junc-
tion. Passing Arslanbob marshrutkas can usually
squeeze in extra passengers here. Direct shared
taxis leave from Arslanbob to Bishkek most
mornings (1000som to 1500som). CBT can book
a space if you ask the day before.

8 Getting¨Around
In summer, shared bench-seat pick-ups with
stripey canopies gather in the main square
to shuttle visitors to the turbaza (per person
20som) or Twin Waterfall (per person 20som).
To the access path for the Long Waterfall, 4WDs
ask 500som per vehicle.

Jalal - Abad ДЖАЛАЛ - АБАД
% 3722 / POP 74,000
If you're transiting between Osh and Ka-
zarman or Arslanbob, you'll probably need
to change vehicles in the leafy, laid-back
spa town of Jalal-Abad. Although it's Kyr-
gyzstan's third-largest city there are no real
sights and almost everything of use to travel-
lers is within 10 minutes' walk of the central
bazaar, though you'll need a taxi to reach the
town's best hotel, Roza¨Park ( % 730 90; www.
facebook.com/rozaparkhotel; Baltagula 183; s/d/
tw 2000/2500/3000; paiW ) . Two blocks
southeast of the bazaar, the glitzier Hotel¨
Tian¨Shan (Lenina; s/d/ste US$60/65/80) is
easier to find. Three blocks northwest at
the central square, the turquoise Soviet-era
Hotel¨Mölmöl ( % 550 59; Lenina 17; s/d with
cold shower 335/636som, d with hot shower
840som, ste 1500som) has typically decrepit
standard rooms but the newly rebuilt suites
are as kitchily well-restored as the new foyer.
From here walk a block northwest past the
park then 50m northeast to find the once-
pleasant Hotel¨Kainar ( % 204 55; J Bakiev
20; s/d/tr/ste 500/700/1500/1500som) , whose
rooms are now very poorly maintained and
distinctly drain-scented. A few homestays
are available through CBT ( % 219 62, Ruh-
sora 077-237 6602; [e-mail]; Toktogul 20;
B&B with outdoor/indoor bathroom 550/700som;
h 9am-5pm Mon-Fri) .

8 Information
There is no internet cafe but mobile phone
access is good. There are no formal money-
exchange oices so bring ample stocks of som.
CBT ( % 077-834 2476, 077-334 2476; arslan-
[e-mail]; Rahim Palvan 6; h call
if closed) Very well-organised CBT can help
with everything from homestays and transport
to horse treks, skiing and mountain-bike rental.
Hayat speaks English well.